Tax Day comes with paperwork, number-crunching, and a mild existential crisis, but dinner doesn’t have to suffer for it. These comforting, budget-friendly dishes are here to rescue your day (and your mood) after hours of wrestling with receipts. Whether you’re celebrating a refund or bracing for a bill, you deserve something that tastes great without costing a fortune. Here are 17 rewarding meals (like sesame-glazed tofu with broccoli) and just-the-spot-hitting desserts (including a few-minute mug cake) that don’t require a calculator or second mortgage. And if that refund lands, who’s to say you can’t splurge on something special? Lobster or caviar, anyone?
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Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
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Sesame Tofu With Broccoli
In this easy weeknight recipe, tofu cubes and broccoli florets get coated in a sticky sesame sauce you’ll want to put on everything.



